Hairspray heads for Derbyshire

The colourful and lively production is heading for Buxton Opera House where it will be staged from october 23 to 28.

It’s Baltimore in 1962 where Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with a big hear, dreams of dancing her way onto national television. An audition makes her a start and she uses her new-found fame to fight for equality, bagging heart-throb Link Larkin along the way.

Brenda Edwards will be reprising the role of record shop owner and strong personality Motormouth Maybelle. She said: “I wanted to come back on this tour production for the second time. After the first half of the tour, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. The songs in the show are uplifting in so many different ways and performing in the

show helped me not to focus on the chemotherapy. One of the songs that I sing and especially drew strength from, was I Know Where I Have Been, the words already had so much meaning to me and throughout the rest of the tour helped me to stay positive and keep thinking of brighter days!”

Brenda said rehearsals for Hairspray are “the best all singing all dancing workout ever!” Of all the songs, her favourite is Can’t Stop The Beat. She said: “It goes through so many different gear changes.”

Tickets £26-£42. Contact 0129872190 or www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

Photograph by Ellie Kurttz